Sing a Song
by A. Zap
Summary: To be honest, before meeting her, Ruby had never heard of Weiss Schnee. Celebrity gossip wasn't really her thing, so how would she know of the family behind Schnee Dust Company? However, she soon realized that she had heard her before, and now she can't help but listen in. White Rose Week Day 1: First


Before meeting her at Beacon, Ruby had never heard of Weiss Schnee.

Of course, she had heard of the Schnees. Everyone had. It was hard to not hear of them when their name was plastered over a majority of the Dust sold in stores, when their tech and communications technology connected people all over the world, when their company held an iron grip on the market that allowed them to live as they were.

But Ruby was never into gossip or celebrities, so when someone mentioned the family all that came to mind was the stern-looking, sneering man who occasionally appeared at press conferences on the news to reassure the world that all was well.

However, it wasn't long into their partnership that Ruby realized that she had _heard_ Weiss before.

One Saturday, Ruby looked around their dorm room in confusion. "Where's Weiss?" She asked the other two members of her team as Yang played video games and Blake read a book. She hadn't been in their dorm room at this time before, usually going to hang out with Jaune, except he had decided to do some training with Pyrrha today. She would've expected to find Weiss in their room working on homework that wasn't due for three more weeks, but she was decidedly absent.

"She's practicing." Blake supplied, flipping a page in her book.

Ruby frowned. "I didn't see her at the training area." She had just seen Jaune and Pyrrha off there, so there was no way she could've missed her.

Yang snorted. "Not that kind of practicing." She squinted her eyes at the screen as she pulled off a particularly difficult combo. "Check the music room."

"There's a music room?"

Apparently, there was. Before she even saw it, Ruby could hear a piano playing softly on the breeze. She tilted her head at the sound. She hadn't known that Weiss could play piano. It suited her; the piano was as refined and sophisticated as Weiss.

Ruby grinned. With Weiss distracted, this would be the perfect time to do a sneak attack! She waited outside the door when the music faded away, but she held herself ready, hand on the doorknob, for Weiss to begin again. She couldn't wait!

But she paused as the vamp she heard sounded somewhat familiar. Her brow furrowed as she tried to place it. Maybe not from the piano, but maybe guitars? It was a lot slower than what she was thinking of too, but maybe...

She froze entirely as she then heard it.

Singing.

_"__They see you as small and helpless;_

_They see you as just a child._

_Surprise when they find out that a warrior will soon run wild."_

Ruby knew this song.

She knew this _voice_.

Ruby froze in place, even as the music to one of her favorite songs went on. It sounded different with a piano accompaniment, and it was slower than she was used to, but the voice was undeniable.

Snow White.

A mysterious singer who frequently was at the top of the charts but no one knew the identity of.

She gave no concerts, made no appearances on television or any form of social media. She wouldn't even give a radio interview. She never appeared on even the covers of her CD's. But sure enough, every once in a while, she would drop a new single or, really once in a blue moon, an entire album of music for eager fans to enjoy.

Ruby had always felt drawn to her music, even though a lot of it clashed with her usual tastes. Every so often Snow White would make a song with pulsing beats, screaming guitars, a song that spoke of rebellion and fighting with all you had, which were usually great to work out to, so Ruby generally preferred that kind of music.

But a lot of her songs just seemed… sad, reflective. Songs that tugged on Ruby's heartstrings and drew her in regardless. They struck some deep chord in Ruby, even as at the same time she had wished to find Snow White and save her from whatever made her so sad.

And she was right on the other side of this door.

Then it hit Ruby that she already knew who was in the music room.

Weiss was Snow White.

Ruby wasn't sure how long she stood outside of the music room, completely dumbfounded as she tried to reconcile that information with what she knew about Weiss. She was so caught up in her thoughts that she didn't notice when the music ended and a new song started. She didn't notice several songs being played and sung though she distantly recognized some of them, and she certainly didn't notice the chiming of the hour and the muffled sounds of things being put away.

She only realized how long she'd been standing there when the door finally opened and Weiss stood there blinking at her.

"Ruby?" Weiss's face scrunched up a bit as she tilted her head in confusion.

"Gah!" Ruby jumped back at her sudden appearance, arms pinwheeling to keep her balance. As she finally steadied herself, Ruby laughed nervously in the face of Weiss's single raised eyebrow. "Oh, uh, hey, Weiss! Fancy seeing you there!"

Weiss's skepticism was palpable. "I'm always in the music room at this time. You, on the other hand…" She looked her up and down. "Normally, you'd be hanging out with Jaune."

Ruby winced at how easily she'd been caught out. "He's training with Pyrrha. With what happened with Cardin, he's really decided to take things more seriously."

"Good for him." Weiss said, and despite the way she usually announced her distaste for Jaune, she sounded genuine.

"Haha, yeah…" Ruby rubbed the back of her head, unsure how to proceed from here.

Weiss rolled her eyes and began to walk back towards their room, a single tilt of invitation leaving Ruby to scramble to walk by her side.

"So how much did you hear?" Weiss asked.

"Oh, enough." Ruby didn't mention how much she heard because she wasn't even sure. She had been stuck far too on the song she had recognized and on the revelation before her. "I didn't even know you played or sang until the others mentioned you'd be here."

"Yes, it was one of the things my father required that I had talent in." Weiss said, and Ruby frowned because her tone was somehow… flat. "He often had me perform at charity functions."

Ruby glanced at her friend. She nearly flinched at the stony expression on her face, her walls all the way up, but what worried her the most was the dull, dead look in her eyes.

She almost didn't want to know what could put that expression on Weiss's face.

"So you don't actually like it?" She ventured a guess, but her brow furrowed because it didn't make much sense. If Weiss didn't like it, why would she continue practicing while here at Beacon?

Weiss blinked and suddenly she was back and looking at Ruby. She huffed a bit and gave a small smile. "Actually, singing and playing is something I enjoy. Usually."

Ruby wondered what made the difference.

"Some of the stuff sounded familiar." Ruby figured that was safe enough to admit. "What music do you use?"

"Well, Father usually has me play classical pieces." That wasn't a surprise. "But otherwise, I write and compose my own music."

Ruby's eyes widened. "Really? Wow!" That was even more impressive than how good Weiss was in her performance.

Weiss chuckled a bit, though for a second her smile turned bitter. "Though it seems that their messages goes right over _some_ people's heads." She mumbled this part, and if Ruby hadn't been standing right next to her and avidly listening, she would've missed it.

And the thought made her pause.

For a moment, she'd been so caught up in how Weiss was Snow White and impressed by how good she was that Ruby forgot the kind of music Snow White was known.

Weiss had kept walking but Ruby, who'd stopped, found herself staring at her back.

_"__I'm the loneliest one of all."_

Ruby ran forward and threw her arms around Weiss.

"Wha - ?! Ruby?!" Weiss did her best to turn to look at her and even from the odd angle, Ruby could see the blush painting her cheeks.

"Ah! My bestie is so awesome and talented!" She snuggled into Weiss's back even as the other girl spluttered above her.

"I'm not - You - We're not 'besties'!"

"Oh, yeah, we are!"

Ruby didn't know what had led Weiss to write such sad songs, and part of her didn't want to know. But she did know that she could make sure that Weiss never felt alone again.

Weiss huffed again and looked away as Ruby let go, a pout forming on her lips. "Dolt!"

Ruby laughed at her expression. "Write a song about me sometime!"

Weiss hummed thoughtfully. "Maybe… If inspiration strikes…"

Ruby cheered. And then a related topic popped into her head. "Hey, if you like music so much, why don't you like Jaune 'serenading' you?"

"Okay, I would hardly classify what Jaune does as music. I am familiar with the guitar, and let me tell you that boy does not…"

Ruby smiled as Weiss continued ranting about Jaune's failings as a musician.

Maybe sometime in the future, Snow White would have some happier songs.

* * *

"So you said you had something you wanted to show me?" Ruby asked as Weiss took a seat at the piano.

"Well, it's more like something I want you to hear." Weiss flashed her a smile as she uncovered the keys and began to do a quick warm-up.

Ruby glanced around the room. She shouldn't have been surprised that the Atlasian hotel they were staying at had a piano, given just how extravagant things tended to be around here. And according to Qrow and Weiss, this place was on the more modest side.

They'd all been worried when they had first arrived in Atlas and Ironwood had refused to let them stay at the Academy. But Weiss had easily stepped up, though she had been the most anxious about returning, and taken care of things. A simple meeting with the delightful Klein, an assurance that she could now use 'that account', and Weiss had them booked with rooms at this hotel.

Though Ruby hadn't had too much of a chance to explore it, because as always with them, when it rained, it poured. They'd been far too busy fighting and figuring out Salem's plots and fending off Cinder's attacks.

But they'd won for now and in the lull, they had some down time.

"How did you pay for all this anyway?" Ruby finally asked.

"Oh, when Winter was still the heir, Mother helped me publish and sell my music behind Father's back." Weiss didn't look up from the keys. "Klein took over my account for that once she became... indisposed. I wasn't supposed to gain access to it until I was 20, but he managed to push that forward for me."

Here, she did look up. "That's probably how you heard my music before." A sly smile crossed her face and Ruby couldn't help the blush that crossed her face.

While Ruby had instantly made the connection between Weiss and Snow White, Yang had not, and she'd teased Ruby about her favorite artist, never noticing the blush that had appeared on Weiss's face at her words. It'd been doubly embarrassing for Ruby, who actually knew the truth.

"How long have you known that I know?" Ruby muttered.

Weiss smiled. "Since I found you outside of the music room the first time."

Ruby groaned. All this time, she had thought that she'd been so subtle about knowing. However, the embarrassment may be worth it at Weiss's adorable giggle she gave at Ruby's reaction.

There'd been so little to laugh at nowadays.

Weiss's fingers settled on the keyboard as she finished her warm-up. Ruby practically vibrated as she took a seat next to her on the bench.

"So this is a new song, right? Is it one of the ones you've been working on about Yang and Blake?" Ruby couldn't help but ask.

Weiss had apparently found a lot of inspiration in her teammates. Just during their time at Beacon, Weiss had ended up composing songs about Blake, Yang, the various members of JNPR, and all of them altogether. She had even ended up writing a song for Ruby after Mother's Day when Ruby had cracked and ended up spilling a lot about her mom to a concerned Weiss. Ruby had never been so touched before and had immediately loved it. Of course, Weiss had often complained that she didn't have the right instruments to get the sound she wanted for the songs, it seemed that Beacon only really had the piano for her to work with and she wasn't about to ask Jaune for his poor, out of tune guitar, but still Ruby thought every song, so many of them awe-inspiring in their own right, was amazing.

And she knew that Weiss had been working on several songs since they'd been reunited, occasionally humming the tunes tantalizing her brain or singing lyrics under her breath in their downtime as she tried to find the exact words and melodies to describe what she wanted.

She'd even mentioned that Yang and Blake's tentative rekindling of their friendship and move to something more had given her some new ideas.

"No." Ruby blinked at the response as Weiss looked away from her. And now that she looked closer, it almost seemed like Weiss was… nervous? "No, this - this is one I've been working on for a long time. I started it back at Beacon, but I - It took a while to finish and I - I didn't think I would ever share it with you."

"Why? Is it… bad?" Ruby couldn't imagine Weiss writing a bad song.

"No, it's just…" Weiss trailed off again. "Look, just - listen, okay?"

"Okay…" Ruby watched her friend carefully.

Weiss still wouldn't look at her. She instead took a deep breath, positioned her fingers, and began to play.

Ruby watched Weiss's fingers dance across the keys. It seemed like this was one of her slower songs that she was known for. Ruby hoped that this wouldn't be sad though like those songs tended to be.

And then Weiss began to sing, and as she heard the lyrics Ruby felt her eyes widen.

_"__I never believed in fairy tale stories_

_With its words of magic and love and dreams and glories._

_Where a hero'd arise, stand tall and bold,_

_Fight for what's right no matter what they're told_

_And continue all the way to "The End."_

_I couldn't believe in happy ever afters,_

_Where with a single kiss your destiny you'd master._

_It seemed too simple to ever be real_

_When alone how was I supposed to feel_

_But that all changed when I met you, my friend_

_Now I look into your eyes and see_

_A reflection that is true to me._

_I know that I'm myself when by your side._

_The ice has melted into the spring._

_The roses are finally blossoming._

_And I promise that with you I will abide._

_So don't leave me and I won't leave you._

_Together we shall muddle through;_

_We'll make a happy ever beneath the stars._

_This is our story and it's ours to write._

_So let's do this well and make it right._

_We won't surrender for this life is ours."_

As the final notes rang out, Weiss's hands stilled and then dropped into her lap.

Ruby stared at her.

_Oh._

Ruby had realized why so many of Snow White's, aka Weiss's, songs had been sad a long time ago.

_Oh._

The answers had been right there in the songs after all.

_Oh!_

But no one had listened.

No one had cared to listen.

_OH!_

But Ruby had always listened.

So she knew exactly what Weiss was saying.

"So, what did you think?" Weiss looked straight ahead, trying to appear nonchalant, but her reluctance to face Ruby and her slightly trembling hands gave her away.

Ruby smiled.

Slowly, she took Weiss's hands, earning a startled gasp, and guided Weiss around to look at her.

Ruby stared her straight in the eyes. "I love you, too, Weiss."

Weiss's breath hitched and Ruby pulled her in for a hug. As soon as she did, Weiss immediately reciprocated, holding her tightly.

Some people might be annoyed that Weiss didn't just straight up tell her. But Ruby knew better.

Songs and music were Weiss's way to communicate what she truly felt and thought. And for her to write a song for Ruby, for just them…

That was a song Ruby would love to hear over and over again.

* * *

_AN: So since Casey Lee Williams is officially Weiss's singing voice, I headcanon that every RWBY song is created by Weiss after being inspired by her friends and teammates. Though apparently "This Will Be the Day" is what Ruby is listening to at the Dust shop in the first episode, so her music has to be out there somewhere. Plus, I want more about Weiss singing._

_And seriously, White Rose song, when? _

_No but in other news, of the confirmed songs that Weiss sings in canon, it's pretty clear no actually pays attention to what she's saying. Her trailer performance has her talking about how freaking lonely she is, but no one pays that any mind or consider what her life is like. Her performance at the charity is essentially a "F*ck you" to Jacques but not only does he seem to not realize that, but no one else does either._

_I am not a professional singer and I'm certainly no composer (so don't expect me to know the notes or key or whatever as I just did whatever felt right), but __ here is a recording of the song I made for this on Tumblr._


End file.
